Governor Janet T. Mills (D) Speaking at a Press Conference in Lewiston.

Governor Janet T. Mills (D) announced today that the Maine Department of Transportation is soliciting ad awarding bids to repair State of Maine infrastructure damanged by last week’s storm.

Following the Governor’s declaration of a State of Emergency last week, MaineDOT’s Maintenance & Operations and Project Development Bureaus expedited the work required to stabilize roads, assess damage, prepare initial cost estimates and bid documents, seek Federal appoval and bring contactor partners on board to help rebuild some of the most heavly damaged infrastructure while ensuring eligibility for Federal reimbursement.

MaineDO advertized four contracts to bidders yesterday and anticipates opening bids and awarding the contracts as soon as this afternoon.  These contracts include work on Route 26 in Newry, Route 16 in the Carrabasset Valley and the Sandy River Bridge in Strong.  MaineDOT intends to advertize three more contracts for bidders tomorrow morning.

At this time MaineDOT estimates that emergency response and infrastructure repairs caused by last week’s storm will cost approximately $10 million to $12 million.

At this time, eleven state highways or bridges remain closed.  This compares to the nearly one hundred closures at the height of the storm.  Infrastructure damage is concentrated in Franklin and Oxford counties.

“We are committed to repairing and rebuilding state owned roads and bridges as quickly as possible as part of our larger effort to help Maine people and our communities recover,” said Governor Mills.  “I thank MaineDOT for its hard work.”